Petunia plant named ‘Dopetsuspare’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Dopetsuspare’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and mounding to hanging plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large bright purplish red-colored flowers with random white-colored spots; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia X hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPETSUSPARE’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Petunia Plant Named ‘Dopetsuspama’

Inventor: Arjan Koot

Applicant: Dümmen Group B.V.

Filed: Concurrently with the instant application U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/317,670

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Aug. 19, 2020, application number 2020/1955. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia X hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dopetsuspare’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, freely branching and early-flowering Petunia plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2019 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT17-118128-004, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT17-131134-004, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2020.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2020 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dopetsuspare’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dopetsuspare’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and mounding to hanging plant         habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large bright purplish red-colored flowers with random         white-colored spots.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Petunia are bright purplish red in color with random white-colored spots whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection are red in color without spots.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Petunia are bright purplish red in color with random white-colored spots whereas flowers of plants of the male parent selection are pink in color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia X hybrida ‘Dopetsuspama’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/317,670 filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primary from plants of ‘Dopetsuspama’ in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Petunia are bright purplish red in color with random white-colored spots whereas flowers of plants of ‘Dopetsuspama’ are more purple in color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia X hybrida ‘Babydoll’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Babydoll’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Babydoll’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have shorter leaves than plants of         ‘Babydoll’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Babydoll’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dopetsuspare’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Dopetsuspare’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 22-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photographs were taken and 25 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, 2007, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia X hybrida ‘Dopetsuspare’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X             hybrida identified as code number TT17-118128-004, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X             hybrida identified as code number TT17-131134-004, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 155B in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright and             mounding to hanging plant habit; freely branching habit with             about six primary lateral branches each with about eleven             secondary branches developing after pinching; moderately             vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 22             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 42 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 35 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture and luster.—Pubescent; semi-glossy.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 144B.         -   Color, developed.—Close to 148A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,             opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent;             leathery; semi-glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 146B; venation, close to 146B. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 146C; venation, close to             146C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong; firm. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually             about 220 flowers and flower buds developing per plant;             flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit,             plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after             planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three             days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy.             Color: Close to 59B and 145A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.8 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 4.1 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 8 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 2 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from             throat): About 2.6 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.8 cm. Petal             shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin:             Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Rippled, glabrous; semi-glossy. Throat             texture and luster: Rippled, glabrous; semi-glossy. Tube             texture and luster: Rippled, pubescent; semi-glossy. Color:             Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to 53C with             random spots, close to 155D. Petal lobe, when opening, lower             surface: Close to 53D with random spots, close to 155D.             Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 57A with             random spots, close to 155D; venation, close to 57A; main             color becoming closer to 57B with subsequent development.             Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 63B with             random spots, close to 155D; venation, close to 63B; main             color becoming closer to 63C with subsequent development.             Flower throat: Close to 60C; venation, close to 60A. Flower             tube: Close to 145C; venation, close to 145A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a             tubular star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Rounded. Base: Decurrent.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: When opening             and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 144A. When opening             and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 1.9 cm. Filament color: Close to             155D. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther shape: Ovate.             Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 158B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 2.4 cm. Style length: About 2.2 cm.             Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 144B. Ovary             color: Close to 144B. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant:             About 150 during the flowering season. Length: About 6 mm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 199D. Seeds: Quantity per flower: About 90. Length:             About 0.2 mm. Diameter: About 0.2 mm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 200B. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain, temperatures     ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA     Hardiness Zone 11. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Petunia have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Petunia plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Dopetsuspare’ as illustrated and described. 